ITALY’S ACCEPTANCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 253, 25 October 1937, Page 6

ITALY’S ACCEPTANCE

JTALY’S acceptance of the British policy of withdrawing

foreign volunteers from both sides engaged in the Spanish Civil War and then granting to each side belligerent rights is too belated and too severe a departure from general conduct to be regarded as anything more than a move to achieve two ends. The first of those ends is to drive in a wedge between Great Britain and France and the second is to gain time so that it can pursue its interventionist policy with unabated energy. It is unfortunate that at the time Italian representatives are declaring their willingness to consider the withdrawal of foreign “volunteers” that the report should be circulated that owing to the lack of volunteer pilots the Italian Cabinet is contemplating conscripting aviators for service in Spain. The French Press also reports that General Franco’s brother is in Italy arranging details for a great offensive on Madrid. Ihese reports support the view that Italy is simply playing for time in order to bring about a victory for General Franco, a policy which Signor -Mussolini has been at no pains to conceal.